13 Nov 2020

Raúl De Nieves: Eternal Return & The Obsidian Heart

Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami

Reviewed by David Rohn

Raul De Nieves's works, primarily in sculpture, amount to a riotous visual feast with undercurrents that could at first seem incongruous. Made of glass and plastic beads and rich textiles, the figures reflect the artist's performances, a flamboyantly celebratory world of ritual. Some of them dance, while others recline, resplendently serene. They reference fashion: Disco-drag platform shoes, Far Eastern or Central American religious costumes, glitter rock and gay night-life accessories. They are simultaneously sybaritic and spiritual.

Art history and religious expression are joined at the hip, no matter which continent or culture under consideration. Vitality and health emanate from one's spirit, one's desire to live and celebrate. De Nieves's figures summon the omnipresent capacity for transcendence, via the solitary self-engagement that creative and meditative practices engender. This show feels like a breath of fresh air, at least for those ready to take a deep breath.